Malus sylvestris - Hedging

Grown in Yorkshire.

We grow a crop of over 30,000 hedging plants each year in our fields here in the Vale of Pickering, concentrating on traditional species which are easy to grow and tolerate a wide range of conditions. The range includes plants such as Beech and Hornbeam for formal garden hedging, to more unusual species such as wild pear and sea buckthorn, which can add interest, colour and increase biodiveristy when incorporated into a mixed hedge. We are always very happy to advise on suitability for your particluar need. Our plants are only available during the winter months (between November and March) and are supplied as either bare root plants lifted straight from our fields, or as rootballed plants (with the rootball inside a hessian wrap). Most deciduous species are supplied bare rooted, whilst it is the evergreen varieties such as laurel and yew which will be rootballed (as they are not fully dormant, they resent too much root disturbance - rootballing means they transplant much more succesfully).

Hedging plants are sent out through the winter. Please see the ‘Delivery’ tab for more information.

Planting:

You can plant at any time during the winter, as long as the ground is not frozen completely solid. Plants should be unwrapped within 4 days of them arriving, and then need either planting straight away or you can 'heel' them in temporarily if the planting site is not ready or the weather is inclement. The tops of the plant need exposing to air, whilst the roots need covering with damp compost or soil to prevent them drying out. You can either dig one large hole and put the whole bundle in, and recover the roots with soil, or plunge the roots into an open bag of compost.
Soil preparation is key to succesful establishment of a hedge. If possible prepare a trench several weeks in advance, incorporating plenty of organic matter (homemade compost, leaf mould or well-rotted manure is ideal). This improves the soil structure and helps moisture retention in the following year. A small application of bonemeal on planting is also advised, as this encourages good root growth. Firm the plants in well, and check after periods of heavy frost that they havent lifted - firm back in again if necessary. Water well for the first season from the end of March - a really good soaking once a week in any dry periods. Drought is probably the number one cause of failure for newly planted hedges, applying a mulch can also be very useful in locking in moisture and preventing competition from weeds.

Pruning:

All freshly planted hedging will benefit from being pruned or clipped straight after planting (or before it comes into leaf in the spring). It seems such a shame to be clipping plants that have only just gone into the ground, and you are no doubt in a hurry to get the hedge to knit together as soon as possible, but pruning back is essential even for young small plants. Pruning encourages the two or three buds beneath the cut to grow away, resulting in two or three branches rather than just one - meaning the hedge will be much more dense and better furnished with foliage.

Spacing

Plant spacing for hedging can be both contentious and confusing. Single rows, double rows, 3, 4 or more plants per metre... consult 3 different books or websites and you will end up with 3 different answers! As a general rule of thumb, aim for three plants per metre in a single row. Instead of buying more plants, spend the time and money on good soil preparation, and on maintenance once the hedge is planted. If kept well-watered, fed and weed-free you will get twice the amount of growth than with plants which are neglected. A single row is fine for most garden hedges - the traditional double staggered row was used to make thicker, stock-proof hedges, so unless you have sheep or cattle in your garden (or you want to keep them out!), it isn't necessary.

Or else email our highly skilled team with any questions and we will be only too happy to try and help sales@rvroger.co.uk